Fisherman&#39;s deicer



May 29, 1956 A. w. HOLM ET AL FISHERMANS DEICER Filed Jan. 23, 1952INVENTOR Arman W Helm Gunnar' M. Larson QUINN? TTORNEY m M Mi W I 4 w IIm m: u I m u n 4 v 4 z I 2 7. 4

United States Patent i FISHERNIANS DEICER Arman W. Holm and Gunnar M.Larson, St. Paul, Minn.

Application January 23, 1952, Serial No. 267,716

9 Claims. (Cl. 126-367) This invention relates to a heating device andpertains more particularly to a device for preventing the refreezing ofholes cut in the ice for winter fishing.

In northern climates ice fishing has become quite popular, the custombeing to chop or cut a hole through the ice in order to drop 'a fishingline therethrough. However, the chopped hole has a tendency to freezeover unless constant vigilance is exercised, which of course is anannoying feature of the sport, especially when warming huts are used andremote, scattered lines remain unattended between checking intervals.

Accordingly, the principal object of the invention is to provide aninexpensive device that will effectively prevent refreezing of holes cutfor the foregoing purpose.

One feature of the invention resides in the provision of a unitarystructure provided with a receptacle portion adapted to contain acombustible, such as burning charcoal, the heat from which is conductedvia a downwardly extending element into the water within the cut hole tothereby warm the water and prevent its freezing.

Fortuitously, the invention also includes a secondary purpose, thatbeing to furnish warmth to the fisherman himself, when desired, as themetallic surfaces of the device radiate heat to the ambient air as wellas conducting heat to the water.

Another feature of the invention resides in the fact that the device isquite compact, fitting readily into the trunk of a car, and thereceptacle portion thereof may conveniently be used in transit for thecarrying of fishing tackle and bait.

Further, still another feature of the invention lies in the provision ofa handle for carrying the device which handle may be used in an uprightposition to support the fishing line.

Other advantages will become apparent in the course of studying thestructural embodiments presented for the purpose of illustration in thefollowing description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of our device;

Figure 2 is an elevational view corresponding to Figure 1, parts thereofbeing shown in section; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment representative ofthe invention.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the heating device is representedgenerally by the letter A and includes a centrally disposed cylindricalmember and a receptacle 12. The receptacle 12 is substantially U-shaped,comprising a bottom wall 14 provided with upstanding side walls 16 and18, the side walls being joined with each other by means of the curvedends 20 and 22. The member 10 may be a section of pipe having its upperend connected, as by spot welding, denoted at several points 23, to theupper edge of the sloping wall 18 of the receptacle 12. From Figure 2,it will be seen that the pipe member 10 has a flange portion 24extending beneath the level of the receptacles bottom wall 14. Asdepicted, the flange 24 is an integral continuation of the member 10.

A handle 26 consisting of a bail 28 and a grip element 30, preferably ofheat insulative material such as wood or plastic, is anchored toopposite sides of the wall 16, the bail 28 extending through apertures32 and 34 in the wall 16. For a purpose presently to be explained, theelement 30 is circumferentially grooved at 36. Also, as will hereinafterbe made clear, a pair of slightly spaced, rounded projections 38 and 40are positioned on either side of and above the apertures 32 and 34,these projections 38 and 46 serving to retain the handle 26 in anupstanding manner when the bail 28 is flexed into a medial positionrelative to the projections.

In use, the device A is placed over an opening 42 cut or chopped in theice 44, the bottom wall 14 resting upon the upper surface of the icecircumjacent the hole or opening 42. A suitable combustible 46 is placedin the receptacle 12 and ignited. It will be observed that the lower endof the member 16, i. e. the flange 24 depends into the water 48 and inthat the parts comprising the device A are of metal, suflicient heatwill be transferred to this flange 24 and thence to the water 48 toprevent the water from freezing.

In the embodiment bearing the letter A, the fishing line should nottouch any portion of the members 10 and 12, for there is the likelihoodthat the line will be burned by the hot metal constituting thesemembers. A facile way for preventing any undesired burning of the lineis provided by the handle 26, and as illustrated a fishing line Sil isdraped over the grip element 30, the line engaging the groove or notch36. Of course, the projections 38 and 4t) maintain the handle 26 in astraddling relationship with the passage or bore 52 through the member1%. The line 5% may be conveniently anchored to a fish stick 54 ofcommon construction which has been forced into the ice 44.

As explained above, when using the device A, one must be careful not toburn through the fishing line, and in our second embodiment labeled B,we disclose an arrangement that obviates this possibility. The device Bis generally similar to the previously described modification,comprising an arcuate member 69 centrally disposed relative to areceptacle 62. In this embodiment it will be seen that the member 69forms the inner wall of the receptacle, the outer wall being composed ofa plurality of panels 64, 66, 68, 7t) and 72 which are in an upwardlydirected relation with respect to a bottom wall 74. It is not thoughtnecessary to describe in detail the cuts and welds necessary to form theaforesaid walls, but it might be mentioned that the panels 7i and 72 canbe integral with the member 69, if desired, flaring outwardly as shown,to form a longitudinal or vertical entrance or opening at 76 for theaccommodation of a fishing line 7%. Since the opening 7r: extends thefull length of the member 66, it will be apparent that t. ere is nodanger of the line 78 touching any portion of the metallic structuregenerally designated by the letter B. As in embodiment A, the instantmodification B is constructed with a depending flange 39 for conductingheat into the Water.

Because of the opening 76, a Wider variety of fishing gear may beutilized with the device B than with the construction A. For example, arod and reel 82 may be employed, supported intermediate its ends by aY-shaped stick 84; or the fish stick 5-4 may be used; or almost any typeof device for anchoring the line '78 may be utilized. Thus, the device Bpossesses greater adaptability for the various types of tackle usuallyencountered.

As with the device A, the invention envisages the employment of a handle36 corresponding in function to the handle 26. Projections 88 and 90 arealso shown which are identical to the projections 38 and 40, serving thepurpose of retaining the handle 86 in an upstanding condition, shouldsuch a position be desired for any rea- Patented May 29, 1956 fishermansdeicer, and while we have endeavored to set forth. the best embodimentsthereof, we desire to have it understood that these are onlyillustrative thereof, and that obvious changes may be made within thescope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of ourinvention.

We claim:

1. A heating device for preventing the refreezing' of holes cut in theice for winter fishing comprising in combination a fire pot receptaclefor containing a heat supporting medium, and an open ended, thindownwardly depending metal flange having an upper portion in partialheat conductive relationwith'said receptacle, said receptacle extendinglaterally outward from said flange.

2 A heating device for preventing the refreezing of holes cut in the icefor winter fishing comprising a combustion receptacle provided withbottom and side walls, and a thin downwardly depending metal flangecarried by said receptacle and extending below the bottom of saidreceptacle, said flange forming an opening extending from top to bottomthrough which a fishing line may extend and said receptacle extendingoutwardly of, and embracing a portion of the periphery of the flangeextending above the bottom of said receptacle to thereby transfer heatto the portion of said flange embraced thereby.

' 3. A heating device for preventing the refreezing of holes cut in theice for winter fishing comprising a centrally disposed arcuate member ofheat conductive material provided with a side opening extending from topto bottom through which a fishing line may extend, and

receptable means for combustible material encircling the unopen side ofsaid arcuate member and extending outwardly therefrom, said receptaclemeans having a bottom arranged to rest upon the ice at anelevationgabove the lower end of said arcuate. member.

4. A heating device for preventing the refreezing of holes cut in theice for winter fishing comprising acylindrical member of heat conductivematerial having an opening therethrough extending from top to bottomthrough which a fishing line may extend, and a U-shaped combustionreceptacle in partial contiguous heat conductive relation with the upperportion only of said member, the bottom of said receptacle being abovethe lower end of said cylindrical member and below the upper endthereof.

5. The structure described in claim 4 in which the combustion receptacleis provided with a downwardly and outwardly flaring inner wall joined atits upper edge to the upper end of said cylindrical member.

6. The structure of claim 4 in which the receptacle is equipped withhandle means secured thereto, said handle extending across. said,cylindrical member to support a fishing line extending therethrough.

7. A heating device; of the character described compris: ing a splittubular member open at its ends, and at. one side, and receptacle meansencircling said tubular member and equipped with side walls connectingwith said member adjacent the side opening of said member, saidreceptacle also having a bottom wall upon which the device may rest andarranged at an elevation above the lower end of said member.

8. The structure-described in claim 7 in which the side wallsextend-outwardly from said member and continue in spaced relation withsaid member around the periphery of said bottom wall, thereby forming areceptacle encircling thernajor portion of said member.

9. A heating device for preventing the refreezing of" holes cut intheice for winter fishing comprising in combination a substantiallyU-shaped receptacle for containing a heat supplying medium, a downwardlydepending flange portion thereof of heat insulation material which ispro-' vided with a groove designed to engage a fish ng linesubstantially centrally of said opening, and means for holding thehandle in a substantially upright position with said handle portion oversaid'opening.

Reference's'Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS GreatBritain Feb. 24,,1927

